What is this?

[mnmyco]

Can anyone figure out what this thing is?

https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Item/59846887

[Hobbyst46]

The cover style reminds me of Swiss Wild instruments.

[wporter]

It's a theodolite, for measuring angles in surveying. Nothing to do with microscopes.

[Bryan]

It's a theodolite, for measuring angles in surveying. Nothing to do with microscopes.

That's what I was thinking it is as well. It looks like it would be extremely heavy to use in the field, probably why they use more plastic in modern ones. I assume the viewfinder points down to get a measurement off a the point you are surveying from.

[MichaelG.]

For some unknown reason the 'shopgoodwill site would not open for me ... so I have not seen the instrument in question.
However, given the responses so far: This page might be of interest:
http://www.wild-heerbrugg.com/shop/inde ... h=1_3_5_25

MichaelG.

[mnmyco]

Ah. Now that you say that it is easy to recognize.

mnmyco

[apochronaut]

It's a Hilger & Watts Microptic theodolite. The concept of using a dome to cover an optical instrument goes back to the days, when microscopes were covered with bell jars. Many companies used what is a most practical method of packing a portable instrument.